SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

West Virginia Power: Game Notes (May 9)

Published on May 9, 2018 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


Following the Power's doubleheader sweep of Hickory on Monday, West Virginia opens up a seven-game road swing in Hagerstown, Maryland, tonight with the first of a three-game series against the Suns. RHP Hunter Stratton (0-1, 9.39 ERA) is on the mound.

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LOLO WINS IT FOR WEST VIRGINIA IN GAME ONE : Despite trailing by one on three separate occassions in game one of Monday's doubleheader, the Power never gave in, as Calvin Mitchell tied the game at two in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI knock off Grant Zawadzki to send the game to extras. After both teams failed to score in the eighth, Beau Sulser allowed the placed on runner to come across in the ninth. In the bottom of the inning, West Virginia went to work against Sal Mendez. With Kyle Watson on second base, Chris Sharpe hit a sharp grounder to right that plated Watson and knotted the game at three. However, the ball rolled right through Justin Jacobs' legs as Sharpe raced around around to third base. The next batter, Lolo Sanchez, lofted a tailing liner to left that was secured by Miguel Aparacio, but Sharpe was able to beat his throw to the plate to give West Virginia a 4-3 win. In the victory, Gavin Wallace made his first start since returning from the DL on May 5, going 5.2 innings and ceding two runs. Blake Weiman spun 1.1 frames and struck out three while Sulser earned the win after not giving up a hit in extras.

POWER CLAIM "WILD" TWIN BILL FINALE: Once again, West Virginia needed a comeback effort in the second game of the doubleheader against Hickory on Monday evening at Appalachian Power Park, as the Crawdads spotted themselves an early 2-0 lead against Travis MacGregor. The Power tied the game at two in the fourth an a wild pitch that plated Deon Stafford and an RBI double from Dylan Busby against Hickory starter Reid Anderson. With the game still square at two in the seventh, Watson was able to work a walk against Jean Casanova to lead off the inning. Oneil Cruz then laid down a perfect bunt between third and the pitcher's mound that allowed him to reach. After Sharpe struck out and Mitchell popped out, Stafford was hit by a pitch before Casanova was replaced by Joe Barlow. On the first pitch Barlow threw, he uncorked a wild pitch that sailed to the backstop past catcher Melvin Novoa, letting Watson scoot home and give the Power a 3-2 win, a doubleheader sweep and a series victory. Evan Piechota secured his second win of 2018 with a sterling seventh frame, lowering his ERA to 1.04, third-lowest in the SAL.

CRUZIN FOR A BRUISIN: Cruz has started to find a more consistent stroke in the Power lineup of late. The former Dodger is riding a nine-game hitting streak and an 11-game on-base streak, with the latter dating back to April 25 in game two of a doubleheader against Rome. Following the conclusion of game one, Cruz's average sat at .194, but he has boosted that mark to .235 with this nine-game stride where he is averaging .286 (10-for-35) with a home run and five RBI. Cruz has the longest active hitting streak on the team, and the second-longest of the season (Mitchell, 13).

SHARPE AS A TACK: Since April 18, Sharpe has reached base safely in all 17 games he has played for the Power. The outfielder has the longest on-base streak on the season for West Virginia. During this stretch, Sharpe is averaging .271 (15-for-54) with four RBI and 13 runs scored. Sharpe's 17-game on-base streak is the second-longest active on-base streak in the South Atlantic League, trailing just Chris Hess' 18-game streak that also began on April 18. Columbia's Jeremy Vasquez' 29-game streak ended on May 6. On the season, The Boston native's .387 on-base percentage leads the team, while his .803 OPS is fourth-best. Sharpe has reached in 24 of the 28 games he has suited up for this season.

KING OF THE Ks: MacGregor fanned six Hickory Crawdads in his five-inning start on Monday, vaulting him into a tie for the league lead in strikeouts at 42 with Kannapolis' Kade McClure. The Florida native has struck out six or more batters in five of his six starts in 2018, including a career-high 12 in his Low-A debut on April 6 against Greenville.

FLAIR FOR THE DRAMATIC: With a pair of walk-off wins on Monday, the Power registered their fourth and fifth walk-off wins in 2018 through the season's first five weeks. West Virginia had six walk-off wins in all of 2017. The Power now have nine comeback wins and are 6-4 in one-run games, second-best to Greensboro's 10-5 mark. West Virginia posted consecutive walk-offs for the first time since August 24 and 25, 2017 against Charleston and Hagerstown.

POWER POINTS: Power relievers have held the first batters they have faced in an appearance to a .175 (10-for-57) stroke, with 20 strikeouts... The bullpen has allowed seven earned runs over their last 44.2 innings (1.41 ERA), while striking out 47 batters... West Virginia has won all five games Wallace has started... The Power went 4-for-21 with RISP on Monday, stranding 16 batters across the doubleheader... West Virginia claimed its sixth series victory of the season, and in their last seven series... The Power close the first half with 24 of their final 38 games on the road.

ON THE AIR: West Virginia Power games can be heard on The Jock 1300 & 1340 AM in the Kanawha Valley, online at wvpower.com and on the TuneIn Radio App. David Kahn and John Kocsis will handle play-by-play duties in 2018.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 9, 2018


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